Point Pelee National Park of Canada
Birds of Point Pelee National Park
© Parks Canada
Sandpiper, Curlew (Provincial Rarety)
-Caladris ferruginea (Pontoppidan)
In breeding plumage unmistakable: rich chesnut breast, white rump with a few dark bars, and a rather long downcurved bill. Knots and dowitchers also have reddish breasts, but their bills are straight. In winter plumage the red of breast is lacking (although some immatures have a faint rusty suffusion). The decidedly downcurved bill separates it from other small and medium-sized sandpipers except the Dunlin. The two are then similar in colour, but the Curlew Sandpiper has a white patch completely across the rump.